Endigar 1102
From Courage to Change of Nov 18:
To me, when the Second Step talks about being restored to sanity, it covers more than the ability to function responsibly and realistically. A sane way of life also includes the willingness to play, to take a break, to cultivate a hobby. I suppose I think of humor as an especially appealing hobby. It takes no special equipment, doesn’t require travel, and never falls out of fashion. When I have a good laugh, I know that my Higher Power is restoring some of my sanity.
If I can see nothing but my troubles, I am seeing with limited vision. Dwelling on these troubles allows them to control me. Of course, I need to do whatever footwork is required, but I also need to learn when to let go. When I take time to play, to laugh, and to enjoy, I am taking care of myself and giving my Higher Power some room to take care of the rest.
Today’s Reminder
A good chuckle or an engrossing activity can lift my spirits and cleanse my mind. I will refresh myself by adding some lightness to this day.
“Now I look for humor in every situation, and my Higher Power is a laughing God who reminds me not to take myself too seriously.”
~ As We Understood…
END OF QUOTE—————————————
Have I begun to trust gentleness again — not as indulgence, but as medicine?
In recovery, “sanity” often starts as crisis stabilization: stop burning down my life, stop lying, stop reacting from fear. But I want to reach deeper. I want to experience the return of playfulness, curiosity, and joy. That is not peripheral healing; that is evidence that the spirit is thawing.
I truly enjoy playing chess. Not just because of the game itself, but because it becomes a symbol:
a quiet discipline that doesn’t demand escape,
a practice that invites presence,
a place where outcome matters less than engagement.
Win or lose, I am still participating in life rather than wrestling it into submission.
The idea of limited vision is especially true in recovery work. When my mind fixates on problems, it shrinks. The world becomes a tunnel of urgency. But when you step into humor, into hobby, into lightness, the field of vision widens again. That widening feels very much like grace — like my Higher Power restoring perspective, not by force, but by invitation.
I am learning that trust in God sometimes looks like setting the burden down and picking up something beautiful instead.
The image of a “laughing God” is powerful too. Not mocking. Not dismissive. But delighted. A Presence that wants you unburdened enough to smile, unguarded enough to enjoy. Many people fear that taking life lightly is irresponsible. But what if joy is actually a spiritual discipline.
This is recovery at its clearest:
- honest about tendency to brood
- humble about the need for footwork
- tender toward the self
- reverent without rigidity
- grounded in lived experience rather than slogans
It is indeed a life of progress, rather than a slavery to perfection. I prefer it.
Daily Reprieve 
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